The present invention relates to an electrical connector with a shield case.
In an electrical connector disclosed in Patent Reference, a shield case is formed through punching a metal plate and bending the same, and is attached to a housing with a terminal disposed therein. In general, such a shield case is provided with an engaging piece for engaging a housing to prevent the shield case from coming off the housing.
As shown in FIG. 5, in the electrical connector disclosed in Patent Reference, a shield case 51 formed of metal with a rectangular cylindrical shape is attached to a housing 53 holding terminals 52. Each of the terminals 52 disposed in the housing 53 includes a connecting portion 52A having an end portion bent at a level of a bottom surface of the housing 53. In a state that the connector is disposed on a circuit board, the connecting portion 52A is connected to a corresponding circuit on the circuit board with solder and the like. The housing 53 includes an engaging protrusion 53A extending upwardly at rear portions thereof.
The shield case 51 is attached to the housing 53, and has a front opening to form a space for accommodating a mating connector (not shown). The shield case 51 with a rectangular cylindrical shape has a cut portion 51A at a rear upper edge portion thereof for engaging the engaging protrusion 53A. Engaging tongues 54 extending backwardly are disposed at both sides of the cut portion 51A. Further, the shield case 51 is provided with ground connecting portions 55 at lower portions thereof on both sides. The connecting portions 55 are bent and extend sideway, and are to be connected to a corresponding circuit on the circuit board with solder and the like.
In such a connector described above, the shield case 51 is fitted into the housing 53 from a front side. The cut portion 51A of the shield case 51 abuts against the engaging protrusion 53A of the housing 53 to define a standard fitting position. Afterward, as shown in FIG. 5, the engaging tongues 54 are bent downwardly toward a rear edge surface of the housing 53, so that the engaging tongues 54 engage engaging recess portion 53B formed in the rear edge surface of the housing 53. Accordingly, the shielding case 51 is restricted to move in a front-to-rear direction relative to the housing 53, and does not come off. In use, the connecting portions 55 and the connecting portions 52A of the terminals 52 are connected to corresponding circuits on the circuit board with solder and the like. The connector is fixed to the circuit board through the connection.
Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-032630
In the connector disclosed in Patent Reference, however, when an electrical device, for example, a mobile phone, with the connector mounted thereon is dropped in a state that a mating connector is connected to the connector, the electrical device receives a large impact, and an excessive force is directly applied to the housing from the mating connector. When the housing receives an excessive force, the engaging tongues may be opened with the force, and the housing may be slipped out from the shield case. That is because, between the housing and shield case, only the engaging tongues engage the housing at the upper rear end portions thereof. Therefore, the front portion moves up and down, so that the front portion is easily inclined relative to the rear portion. Especially when a space is formed between the shield case and the housing, the shield case easily comes off the housing due to the inclined state.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with a shied case, in which a shield case does not easily come off a housing in spite of a simple structure.
Further objects will be apparent from the following description of the invention.